1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new macrocyclic polyether compositions and to complexation of ionic metal compounds therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The complexation of metallic cations by macrocyclic (crown) polyethers was first demonstrated by Pedersen (J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 1967, 87, 7017). Since his original disclosure numerous polyether compounds have been prepared and reported. There has been particular interest in substituted crown polyethers in recent years, due to the possibility of anchoring such polyethers to polymer matrices. Notable among these examples are the work of Montanari (Tetrahedron Letters, 1979, 5550) and Woo (U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,859). These reports deal with crown compounds bearing sidearms designed to assist in appending the crown ether from a polymer matrix or backbone. Numerous others have reported similar efforts (see, for example, Okahara et al, J. Org. Chem., 1980, 45, 5355). The common feature of all of the compounds described in these reports is that the arm is designed either to enhance the lipophilicity of the crown or to allow for binding of the macroring to a polymer. In no case is any additional binding anticipated from or imputed to these substituted crowns by virtue of sidearm donor interaction.
Macrocyclic compounds containing one or more nitrogen atoms are well known as noted above; see Okahara, supra. However, nitrogen lariats in which an arm capable of providing secondary solvation to the ring-bound cation is appended to the heterocyclic nitrogen have not been reported.